Fruit-gatherer.



F. F. WEILEN'MAN.

FRUIT GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED Mmzs. |918.

Paten@ oet. 22,1918.

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F. F. WEILENMAN.

FRUiT GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED MARJS. 191s.

La Patented om. 22, 1918.

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FRANZ F. WEKILENMAN, OF SAN JGSE, CALIFORNIA.

FRUIT-GATHERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (1ct. 22, 1918.

Application filed March 23, 1918. Serial No. 224,324.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANZ F. 1Winnin- MAN, a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Gatherers, yof which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fruit gatherers, and more particularly to a form ofl fruit gatherer adapted for gathering such fruits as prunes and olives-,separating them from twigs, leaves etc., and nally depositing them in suitable boxes. It is the object of my invention to provide a device of the character indicated that will be simple, light, strong, durable, practical, easily changed from tree `to tree with or without entirely emptying it of the fruit therein, and easily and quickly adjustable about a tree.

With these and other objects in view,"my invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction, combination and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings 1 Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention in position about a tree trunk, the latter being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line A-A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line B-B of Fig. 1 with the extension sides removed.

Fig. 4 is a vertical and longitudinal section through the device whenl fitted with two screens.

Fig. 5 is a vertical and longitudinal section through the device when provided with a center outlet. y

Fig. 6 is a detail illustration showing a leg extension.

Similar characters of reference refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

Since the device herein illustrated and described consists of two symmetrical halves, a description of one half will apply equally as well to the other half. Each half of the device consists of a rectangular frame 1 provided with legs 2 and handles 3, and has a segment cut out of the central portion of one side to receive a tree trunk as 4. In the bottom of the rectangular frame 1 is positioned a screening member 5 supported on in the following manner.

pivots 6 which in turn are set in bearings 7 in frame 1, said member 5 being normally held in a fixed position with relation to frame 1 by eccentrically pivoted buttons 8 mounted on said frame 1. The ends of members 5 are cut away as indicated at 9 to provide openings through which the gathered fruit may be discharged into suitable receptacles.

On each end of frame 1 and on the side opposite that which engages the tree trunk is secured and supported a canvas extension On the upper edge of each end and Von the upper edge of said outer side, and near the ends thereof,

are positioned eyelets as shown at 10. lny

each pair of eyelets is positioned a supporting rod 11 formed and bent substantially as shown and having legs attached thereto as indicated at 12. Each rod 11 supports the outer edges of a canvas as 13, the inner edge of said canvas being secured to member 1. The overlapping edges of canvas 13 are preferably supplied with means for attaching them to each other as, for instance, snap buttons as indicated at 14.

Assuming that the device has been assembled and positioned under a tree as above set forth and as shown in Fig. 1, the falling fruit will be deposited upon screening member 5 or guided thereto by canvas extensions 13. lVhen sufficient fruit has ac cumulated on members 5 a button S is turned and the member is tilted as indicated in dotted lines' at 15, thereby causing the gathered fruit to roll down into boxes positioned as indicated in dotted lines at 16.

It is understood of course that the members 5 may be made of any convenient size or proportions and iitted with any suitable screening means. in the present instance an arrangement of bars being shown sospaced that the fruit will be caught and the twigs and leaves allowed to fall through to the ground.

In transferring the device from tree to tree the extension sides may be folded over upon the body, each half of the device carried over and positioned under the next tree and the extension sides repositioned. an operation that is quickly and easily performed. 1f the devise is to be used on sloping ground then the legs may be fitted with extensions as 17, provided with slots 18 and secured in the desired position by binding nuts 19.

The device above described is constructed lll particularljT for use in gatheri g prunes, but it it is to be used for gathering olives, tor instance, then it is found desirable to provide an arrangement of double screens. rlhat is, a sloping` screen as 20 maj7 be tilted in position in trame l, this screen having a mesh just large enough to permit the olives to fall through and to retain the leaves, twigs, etc. The second or bottom screen 2l is pivotally mounted as described in connection With Fig. l and has av liner mesh so as to retain the olives until a suiiicient number are gathered to deposit in boxes, the screen talring the posit-ion indicated by line 21a When being emptied.

lt is clear, oi course, that many ditierent screen arrangements may be made as, for instance, thejv maj' slope toward the cerner as at 22 and discharge through a trap as at 23 in F ig. lt is understood of course, that l do not Wish to coniine mj'selt to the speciiic forms ot construction and the particular materials herein shown and described, but that changes in form, materials, construction and operation may be made Within the scope ot the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A fruit gatherer formed of tiro separable sections havingl a passage formed in their adjoining sides to permit the passage of a tree trunk therethrough, each section having iti-uit screening means forming the bottom thereof, and extensible sides attached to each end and the outer side thereof.

Q. e. fruit gatherer formed of two separable sections haring a passage formed in 'their adjoining sides to permit the passage of a tree trunlr therethrough, each section having fruit screening means forming the Vbottom thereof, and extensible sides removabljv attached to each end and the outer side thereof, each of said extensible sides consisting or a rod pivotally mounted on said section, a iieible sheet mounted on said rod, and supporting members pivotalljv mounted on said rod.

3. A fruit gatherer formed ot two separable sections having a passage formed in their adjoining sides to permit the passage ot a tree trunk therethrough, each section having truit screening means forming the logies of this patent may he obtained 'for nre e i ash gg naeaoee bottom thereof, and eXtensible sides remorablj7 attached to each end and the outer side thereof, each of saidextensible sides consisting of a rod pivotally mounted on said section and bent outwardly a distance to a point adjacent the corresponding bend in the adjacent rod and thence bent inwardly to a line parallel to the edge upon which it is mounted, a flexible sheet mounted on said rod and saidedge, means for attaching the edges ot adjoining sheets, and legs pivotally mounted on said rods, each of said sections having' legs and handles attached thereto.

et. e. fruit gatherer formed of two separable sections having a passage formed in their adjoining sides to permit the passage ot a tree trunk therethrough, each section having fruit screening means forming the bottom thereof, and extensible'sides pivotally mounted upon each end and the outer side thereof, each extensible side having independent supporting means and means for attaching its ends to the ends of the adjoining sides.

5. A fruit gatherer to 1med ot tivo separable sections having a passage formed in their adjoining sides to permit the passage ot' a. tree trunk therethrough, each section having independently supported side and end extensions pirotally mounted thereon, and a screening member pivotallj' mounted in the bottom thereof.

6. A fruit gatherer consisting of tivo seetions, each section comprising a body portion or frame provided with legs and handles and haring a segment removed from the centra-l portion of one side thereof to receive a tree trunk, means for separating the fallen fruit from leaves, twigs, etc., operatively mounted in the bottoni of said trame. independently supported and adjustable eX- tension sides operativeljr mounted on each end and the outer side ot said frame, means for attaching the adjoining ends ot said sides together, and to the adjoining ends of the extension sides ot' the adjacent section.

Signed at San Jose, in the county ot Santa Clara and State ot' California, this 16th day of March. 1918.

FRANZ F. WELENMAN.

ents each. by addressing the Commissioner of 'Patents 

